Dispensing container



Aprnl 25, 1950 E. E. VOMACKA DISPENSING CONTAINER Filed April 15, 1946 FIG. 1.

FIG. 3.

Edwar [I]. E..YU'ITLE.ERLEL 42,

ATTORN YS.

Patented Apr. 25, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING CONTAINER Edward E. Vomacka, Glendale, Mo.

Application April 15, 1946, Serial No. 662,222

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a dispensing container and it is one object of the invention to provide a container for holdin flake soap or other powdered or granulated materials, the container having associated with it a measuring device by means of which measured quantities of the material may be withdrawn from the container and dropped into a, receptacle such as a washing machine, dish pan, or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide the container with a dispenser cons sting of a casing which is mounted at the bottom of the container and a block slidable longitudinally in the casing, from a retracted position in which a well or pocket formed in the block registers with an opening in the top of the casing, to an extended position in which the block projects from the container and material in the well may drop out of the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which may be easily thrust into the casing but has its outward movement limited by a staple Or equivalent abutment which makes contact with a flange or lip extendin inwardly across the upper edge of the opening through which the casing is fitted into the container, the flange reinforcing the container and preventing the staple from tearing its way through the wall of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser wherein the block is preferably formed of layers of corrugated cardboard and thus provide a block which will be of a predetermined thickness and strong, but light in weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide the block with a withdrawin tape wh ch is ini tially disposed mainly in the well or pocket of the block with a portion in such position that it may be readily grasped and drawn outwardly to an extended position and a finger engaged through the tape for drawing the block to an extended position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing container which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and which may be mounted in a cardboard container of conventional form and dimensions, the depth of the dispenser being such that it occupies no more space in a container than is usually left empty at the top of a filled container.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the lower portion of a container and a dispenser of the improved construction therein.

iii

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken vertically through Figure 1 longitudinally of the dispenser and with a portion broken away and removed to condense the view, the dispenser being in a retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section taken horizontally through the container body and partly in plan of the elements shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view 'upon an enlarged scale taken alon the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showingthe dispenser covered by a tape which holds it in the retracted position.

The improved dispenser is embodied in a container I which is formed of cardboard and may be of any predetermined dimensions desired or required to hold a predetermined quantity of flaked, powdered or granulated material such as soap or other materials which are customarily sold in packages and, at the present time, poured from the container through an opening formed therein for use. When soap is poured from a container directly into a washing machine or into a cup or glass which happens to be convenient,

if often happens that too much or not enough soap will be poured from the container. Therefore I have provided a dispenser which is sldably mounted in the lower portion of the container and by means of which measured quantities may be dispensed from the container.

This dispenser consists of a block 2 which is slidably mounted in a casing 3 thrust into the container through an opening I formed across the lower end of an end wall 4 of the container.

The casing is formed of cardboard and rectangular in cross sect on, the inner end wall 5 of the casing being glued or otherwise firmly secured against the end wall 6 of the container. When the wall 4 of the container is cut to form the opening 1, through which the casing 3 is thrust into the container and the block 2 slid longi tudinally from a retracted position to an extended position, a portion of the wall 4 is bent to form a tongue or lip 8 which is glued against the upper wall of the casing 3 to secure the casing across its front or outer end and also provide an abutment wh ch reinforces the wall 4 across the upper edge of the opening.

The block 2 preferably consists of a plurality of layers of corrugated cardboard 9 which are secured in face to face engagement with each other by glue H3 and form a block of such thickness that it fits snugly into the casing 3. An opening or well H is formed vertically through the outer or 3 forward portion of the block and the walls of the opening are covered by a strip of paper it so that the wall of the well will be smooth and soap powder prevented from Working into crevices in the block. The opening H is of such diameter that it will register with an opening l3 formed through the top of the casing and into the block is driven suitable stop element M, such as a staple which is bent so that its bridge l5 extends at an incline, as sliown-in Figure ZQand its front leg projects upwardly from the block a greater'distance than its rear leg and provided a shoulder It for abutting engagement with the lip or flange 8 of the container. Since the bridgelfi of the staple extends rearwardly at a downward incline,

the block may be thrust into the casing an'd' the staple then projects upwardly into position for contact with the lip 8. Slots or'slits Hand 18 extend forwardly and rearwardly fromthe opening [3 and are of such width that the staple may move into theseslots when the block is-shiited longitudinally to --adiusted positions. From an inspeotion-of Figure 3 it will be seen-that the front end of the slot ii terminates even with the edge of the lipor flange 3 so that when the block is secured againstside edge "faces of the block to V firmly hold thecovering strip in place and prevent'it from being torn loose at its ends. This strip-imparts a. neat appearance to the outer 'end of the-block. I

In orderto. permit the block to be easily drawn outwardly'to an extendedposition there'isiprovideda ring-like stripor tape '20 which loops freelyabout thenarrow iorward end portion of the block between the well I-2 and the front end of the blockandbetween the upper and lower faces of the-block and-the topand bottom walls of the chamberiormed by easing This looped tape isinitially folded so that it lies flat upon the bottom of the casing. and extends diametrically across the wall'asshown-in-Fig. 2, the-forward portion of the loop being covered by a sealing strip 35 whichhas its end portions adheringto lls of the container. Whenit is desired powdered soap with which the container is filled, the sealingstrip til is removed and the outer portion of the loop as pulled forwardly to-the extended positionas shown in Figs.;1 and 3 so that afinger maybeaengagedthrough the loop and -pull-exerted to draw theblock-outwardly as shown in Figure 1. Whenthe blockisinjthe retracted position, the tapebetw-een the upper and lower faces of the block and the top and bottomwalls of the'chamberformedbythe easing Swill due to irictionalengagement, to preve' accidental forward sliding of the block. When the, block-is in theretracted position the materialto'bedispensed willfill'the Welland this material willbe carried forwardly with the block and drop from th well into-aselected-receptacle ovcrwhich thecontainer-is held. Therefore each time the block or dispenser is, dnawn outwardly measured-quantityoi material willbe dispensed from thecontainer. After a desired quantity-of material has been dispensed from the: container the block maybe thrustrearwardly into the easing. By moving the block outwardly part way with a portion of the opening it erlapr a portion of the well H and a portion of the well protruding from the casing th material may be poured from the container into a measuring receptacle or directly into a receptacle in which it is to be used if all of the material in the container is required.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a prei erred form, it isto be understood'that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

-I-claim:

l. A dispensing container comprising a container b'ody'i'ncluding a Wall formed across its lower end with an opening extendin th full width of the saidwvall and an inwardly extendlip "along the upper edge of the opening, a casing fitted into the container through said opening and open at its outer end, said li-pbeing secured uponthe uppersu'riace of the easand holding the casing againstoutward move-- ment, the upper wall of the casing being formed withan-opening slots extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom midway the width of the casing, the front slot having its front end terminating at the edgeof saidlip, a block thrust into the casing through the open front end thereof and slidable longitudinaliy from-a'retracted position to an extendedposition, said block being formed with a well through its forward portion-registering withthe opening in the'top or" the casing when the bloch-is-in the-retracted position, a-stop carried by saidblockrearwardiy iromthe well and projecting upwardly from the block in position for moving through the slots during'longitudinal movement of the block, said step consisting of a staple having its bridge extending forwardly at an upward incline and having its front arm projecting upwardly from'th'e blooi: to form a shoulder for abutting engagement with-the rear edge of the lip tolimitoutward movement of the block the rear end of the bridge being'iius'h with the upper face oithe block to-permit inward movement of the staple under the lip and the frontend portion of the upper wall of the casing, and a member at the front end of the block adapted for engagement by 'a finger to draw the block outwardly to the extended position.

2. A dispensing containercomprising a con-- tairierbody formed with an opening across the lower end of a wall, a casing fitted into said container through said opening and being open atits front endand formed'in its top wall with an opening and. with slots extending forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, a block slidable long gitudinally through the openfront end-of said casing from a retracted position within the catsing't'o an -'ext'ended' position and having its forward portion formed with an opening constituting well registering with thebpening in the top of the casing when the'blocl; is in the retracted position, a lip extending inwardly from thes'aid wall of the body along the upper edge of the opening therein and secured upon and serving as a reinforcement for the portion of the top wall of the casing between its-front end and the irontslot, an abutment member for limiting outward movement of the block projecting upwardly therefrom and disposed in position for movement in the slots during sliding movement of the block and amember at the outer end of the block adapted for engagement by a finger to draw the block outwardly.

3. A dispensing container comprising a container body including a separate chamber at its bottom open at the front of the body and provided with an opening through its top for flow of material from the container, a block slidable through the open end of the chamber to re tracted and extended positions and having its forward portion formed with a well registering with th opening in the top of the chamber when the block is in the retracted position, and a ringlike tape looped freely about the forward end portion of the block so as to extend through the well, between the upper and lower faces of the block and the upper and lower walls of the cham her and across the front of the block, a portion 6 of the tape being initially folded and lying upon the bottom of the chamber in said well, said tape movable outwardly to an extended position in which a finger may be passed through the outwardly projecting portion thereof and pull exerted to draw the block outwardly to the extended position.

EDWARD E. VOMACKA.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Siefert June 13, 1939 Number 

